Media Advisory on Coverage of Sikh Temple Shooting

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August 6, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO — The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) wishes to express our condolences after the shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin. Here are a few guidelines for organizations reporting on this tragedy:

  • The word “Sikh,” according to multiple dictionaries, is pronounced “seek.” However, adherents of the faith use the pronunciation “sik-kh” (“kh” pronounced as in “Mikhail”).
  • A Sikh temple is also called a “gurdwara” (pronounced GOORD-war-ah).
  • Sikhism is the fifth largest world religion and was founded in 1469 in South Asia. It is a monotheistic religion.
  • There are 25 million to 30 million Sikhs around the world, most of them in India. According to the Sikh Coalition, about 500,000 Sikhs live in the United States.
  • Observant Sikh men are religiously mandated to wear dastaars (Sikh turbans) and maintain unshorn hair (including facial hair). Observant Sikh women are also religiously mandated to maintain uncut hair.

AAJA’s “Handbook to Covering Asian America” can be a resource in fairly, accurately and sensitively reporting on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The South Asian Journalists Association may be able to provide further assistance.

Media Contact: AAJA Executive Director Kathy Chow

E-mail: kathyc@aaja.org
Telephone: 415-346-2051 | Fax: 415-346-6343
Mailing address: 5 Third St., Suite 1108, San Francisco, Calif. 94103

The Asian American Journalists Association is a nonprofit professional and educational organization with more than 1,500 members across the United States and in Asia. Founded in 1981, AAJA has been at the forefront of change in the journalism industry. AAJA’s mission is to encourage Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) to enter the ranks of journalism, to work for fair and accurate coverage of AAPIs, and to increase the number of AAPI journalists and news managers in the industry. AAJA is an alliance partner in UNITY Journalists, along with the Native American Journalists Association, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. For more information about AAJA, visit www.aaja.org.

NOTE: This post was updated Aug. 6 to clarify several guidelines based on feedback from Sikh leaders. AAJA also added contact information for groups with expertise on Sikhism.

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      Improved Reporting          

  
  
  

  


  

    Submitted by XenonAriel (not verified) on Sun, 09/16/2012 - 21:01.  


  

    
The media has done a better job covering shooting. In the past the accused shooter or revolting persons was put in the spotlight and publicly stoned approach of reporting the event.  While inaccurate noise got puked by the reporters competing for the veiwers and most compelling story. Nevermind the logic or ethics responsibity to inform the public and give objective perspective.  Many have learned from these mistakes, and it is evident in the reporting of sikh shooting and movie masscure*.  The positive things the media did was honor the victims, share awareness about the targeted community, let the friends and family speak out, not jump to any cultural blame (altho there was some) a kid didnt shoot them because he listened to punk rock or watched a batman movie. There is a long life of warning signs that people around him didn't choose to help. and those shooters are a victim of some other suffering to anger someone to act so rageful and horrible. Everybody feels. 
      


      

          

  

 



      
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